Harry lee constable



(No Model.)

H. L. CONSTABLE. BRAKE MECHANISM FOR RAILWAY OARRIAGES 0R SIMILAR VEHICLES.

gatented Feb. 22, 1898.

llnrr tn Ermine .arnwr rrrcnt HARRY LEE CONSTABLE, OF BRIGHTON, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO PERCY HULBURD, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

BRAKE MECHANISM FOR RAILWAY-CARRIAGES R SIMILAR VEHICLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 599,524, dated February 22, 1898. Application filed May 17, 1897. Serial No= 636,941. (No model.)

T0 at whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HARRY LEE OoNsTABLE, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, residing at Brighton, in the county of Sussex,

England, have invented new and useful Improvements in or Connected with Brake Mechanismfor Railway-Oarriages or Similar Vehicles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a novel construction of parts for facilitating the fixing in position or removal of the brake-blocks of continuous and other railway-brakes.

Hitherto the brake-blocks have usually been attached by means of nuts or other devices held in position by cotters and split pins. By the use of this invention all such devices which require the use of tools for applying or removing them are done away with, my improved construction admitting of removing a brakeblock and replacing it Without the use of any tools, while at the same time the block is securely held.

According to my invention the brake-block 2 5 is suspended from a pendulous link, which is inserted through a horizontal passage in the back of the brake-block into a vertical recess therein. The end of the brake-beam enters a transverse aperture or hole, with which the 0 said vertical recess and horizontal passage communicate, but is too large to pass through or into the said recesses, whereby when the end of the said beam is in position in the block the link is prevented from entering the horizontal passage of the block, so that the said block cannot become inadvertently detached from the pendulous link. On the end of the brake-beam is a gravity-catch which when the brake-beam is being inserted into 0 the transverse aperture is placed horizontally, so that it will pass through the horizontal passage, and which when the brake beam and block are in their proper relative positions drops to prevent the said block and beam from becoming disconnected.

In some cases I find it advantageous to make the end of the brake-beam of square or other suitable shape to prevent the block from assuming an inclined or tilted position relatively with the said beam, which might cause it to rub against the wheel when the brake is not on.

To enable my invention to be fully understood, I will describe the same by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation illustrating the construction of and mode of applying a brakeblock according to my invention, and Fig. 2 is a rear view of the same. Fig. 3 is a view of a modified form of pendulous link which may be employed; and Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1, illustrating a slight modification of my invention.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

a is the brake-block, which has formed in it a transverse aperture or hole 1), adapted to receive the end of the brake-beam c-that is to say, the beam through the medium of which the pressure is applied to the block and which carries a brakablock at each of its ends.

d is the vertical link-receiving recess which extends from the hole I), and e is the horizontal passage which communicates with the said hole 73.

f is the pendulous link which is suspended from the frame of the carriage or the like and which supports the brake'block, the lower bar 9 of the link being introduced through the passage 6 into the vertical recess d before the end of the brake-beam is passed into the hole I). It will be obvious that when the link has been thus applied to the brake-block and the end of the beam 0 introduced into the hole I; the block a cannot become detached from the said link f.

h is the gravity-catch, which swings freely on a pin on the end of the beam 0. When this catch is held in the horizontal position 0 indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 1, it will be obvious that the brake-block can be moved laterally to put it on or take it off the end of the beam 0, but "when the catch drops by gravity it will prevent the said block from 5 becoming detached from the end of the beam.

To prevent the brake-block from swinging forward and bearing against the wheel at its upper end, as it might do in practice, I form upon the said block a projection 71, which comes into contact with the pendulous link and retains the block in its proper position.

To permit of reversing the blocks when they become worn and to avoidthe necessity for making right and left blocks, I provide a vertical recess d below the hole I), corresponding with the vertical recess d, as clearly shown in Fig. 1, and I also provide a duplicate' stop 1" for maintaining the position of the block when the link is in the slot d.

In order that when applying the block to the pendulous link the stop 1' can pass through the link, I make the said link of graduallyincreasing width from the bottom to the top, as shown in Fig. 2, so that if when applying the block to the link the bar 9 is placed in the vertical recess (7, the projection 75 will be opposite to a sufficiently wide part of the link f to pass through it, whereby when the block is dropped so that the bar g is in the recess 01 the said lug z' will be opposite a narrower part of the link f, as shown in Fig. 2; or instead of making the link of gradually-increasing width it may be formed, as shown in Fig. 3, with parallel sides having two notches or recesses j j, which will pass over the lugst'i.

If the end of the brake-beam c is made square and introduced into a square hole 19, as shown in Fig. 4, instead of into a round hole, as shown in Fig. 1, the lugs i 2" maybe dispensed with, as the brake-beam c not being capable of turning and the blocks not being capable of turning upon the beam it will be obvious that the said blocks cannot tip forward to bring one end into contact with the wheels.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is- 1. The combination with the brake-beam, of a brake-block provided with a transverse aperture therethrough, to receive the brakebeam, and having the portion of the block in rear of said aperture cut away to form an open passage, of less vertical width than the brakebeam, extending from the said transverse aperture to the rear face of the block, and a movable retaining device 011 said brake-beam adapted to pass through said open passage, substantially as described.

2. The combination with the brake-beam and a gravity-catch secured thereto, of a brake-block provided with a transverse aperture therethrough, to receive said beam, and having the portion of the block in rear of said aperture cut away to form an open passage of less diameter than the brake-beam, extending from said transverse aperture to the rear face of the block and adapted to permit the passage of the gravity-catch when the latter is in a horizontal position, substantially as described.

3. The combination with the brake-beam, of a brake-block provided with a transverse aperture therethrough, a link-receiving recess above and a link-receiving recess below said aperture, communicating therewith, the said block in rear of said transverse aperture being cut away to form a passage extending from said transverse aperture to the rear wall of the block, and a movable retaining device on said brake-beam adapted to pass through said passage, whereby said block can be reversed, substantially as described.

4. The combination with the brake-beam provided with a gravity-catch at its outer end, of the brake-block provided with a horizontal slot to receive said beam and a vertical recess communicating therewith and a link engaging said vertical recess, said block being provided with means for maintaining it in vertical position with respect to said link and beam, substantially as described.

5. The combination with the brake-beam provided with the gravity-catch, of a brakeblock provided with a horizontal slot to engage said beam, a vertical recess above and below said slot, to receive a supporting-link and projecting lugs adjacent to its upper and lower ends to engage said link to keep the block in vertical position, and the link provided with widened portions to permit the passage of the said lugs therethrough, substantially as described.

6. The combination of a brake-block having a hole such as b and slots such as d, 6 formed therein and communicating with the said hole of a link from which the said block is suspended, a brake-beam the end of which prevents the block from becoming detached from the link and a gravity-catch pivoted upon the end of the said brake-beam, substantially as described.

HARRY LEE CONSTABLE. lVitnesses:

G. F. REDFERN, C. G. REDFERN. 

